Those pining to get outside and discover some roaming monsters in Pokémon GO will likely feel particularly aggrieved by the recent global lockdowns going on, but developers Niantic have a trick up their sleeves to ease the woe.
Speaking in a blog post this week, the minds behind Pokémon GO addressed the fact that millions of players are currently cooped up indoors with nowhere to go. "We're enhancing our in-game virtual social features to enable players to stay in touch when they can't meet in real life," it reads "you'll soon be able to team up with friends and take on Raid Battles together in Pokémon GO from the comfort of home.
The post also lamented the fact that the company is facing difficult times, whilst wishing their fans well. "We are reaching out to extend our best wishes for your wellness at this time of unprecedented challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The increased physical and mental strain can have a lasting impact on people, and we're here for you."
Obviously being a game thats core premise revolves around people going outside and exploring their surroundings, Pokémon GO was staring down the barrel of the gun when lockdowns came into force. But Niantic have been acutely aware of this and working to combat the situation for some weeks.
Not only have they been gifting in-game items and reducing the prices of things on the game's store, but they've also increased the frequency of Pokémon spawning in the same spots, meaning those stuck inside will have more opportunities to capture from their sofas.
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If that weren't enough, they're also working on improving their Adventure Sync feature to better monitor movements within an apartment, so players can reap the benefits while moving around, cleaning or running on a treadmill. Which is. Yeah. Maybe a little bit weird? I wonder if it'll know when you've rolled over in bed too and plop a Pokémon on the other side of your pillow? Only time will tell.
Topics: Pokemon Go, Pokemon